Los Angeles County Supervisors Vote To Table Proposed Ballot Measure To Fund Emergency Care, Public Safety
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to table until March consideration of a ballot measure proposed by Sheriff Lee Baca that would increase the county sales tax by a half cent to provide additional funds for emergency care and public safety, the Los Angeles Times reports (Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12/18). The measure, which would increase the county sales tax to 8.75% from 8.25%, could raise as much as $500 million in additional revenue, Baca has said. Under the measure, which would require approval from 67% of voters, the county would spend two-thirds of the revenue raised on public safety -- the county Sheriff's Department would receive most of the funds -- and one-third to improve emergency care services (California Healthline, 11/8). Supervisors said that they would not likely ask county voters to approve the measure, which they said was "largely intended to protect the sheriff's own department," not emergency care or public safety for the county, the Times reports. However, supervisors will reconsider a request by Baca to schedule public hearings on the measure (Los Angeles Times, 12/18). In November, county voters approved Measure B, a ballot measure that will raise property taxes to fund county trauma care centers and emergency rooms (California Healthline, 11/8).
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